I do
by quinntubbington
Summary: This is not a story about falling in love, but falling back in love. What if you found your soulmate only to have her lose all memories of you? What if in order to make her love you again, you might just lose yourself too. Faberry/ "The Vow" AU.
1. Crimson coat

Dear reader,

Just a few things to note before the story to starts. Firstly - don't worry, it's not all angst. There will be happy moments, just as there will be sad ones. Furthermore, the chapters will slightly vary in length but will generally be longer than the first one. Also, and perhaps most importantly, yes this is based on the film "The Vow" - it will be very similar plot wise, but with of course some changes. If you've seen the film, I hope you enjoy my take on it - and if you haven't, then please know where many of my ideas have come from.

Finally, I really hope you enjoy this and I appreciate any reviews you have to offer!

- N x

* * *

"Quinn?" Rachel called, her crimson coat making its way out into New York city. As soon as she entered the freezing street she missed the comfort and warmth of the small theatre she'd been hibernating in for the last few hours. It was Saturday, after all. Saturday's had become a sort of theatre day in their household, and this evening was no exception. Of course not all Saturday's were filled with broadway shows (those were reserved for special occasions), but anything theatrical filled the space. This production was sort of a 'slam poetry' thing Quinn had bribed Rachel into going, after their pre-booked show had a last minute cancelation. That was Quin for you. Majoring in English had definitely been the right path for the girl, though not necessarily in terms of her career.

Quinn had finished Yale that summer (the summer she moved to New York to be with Rachel), and now that she and Rachel had opened up a small coffee shop below their apartment to help with the bills, she'd found herself falling in love with the world behind a camera lens. Quinn was hoping to start up her own studio sometime next year in the space of the cafe - and though Rachel would miss the free food they got from excess deliveries, she couldn't wait for Quinn's dream to unfold. Of course her parents weren't too happy, but the Fabray's hadn't really been in the picture for a while now. As soon as Quinn told them about her relationship with Rachel, she got cut out of the suburban perfect family. They moved to Savannah that summer, and their small town social life had been thriving - or so Rachel read over facebook one tempting evening. The brunette felt immensely guilty during the months that followed Quinn's exile, but somehow the nonchalance and brazen acceptance that she showed convinced Rachel that maybe when she was she was better off without them, she truly was.  
This wasn't the first Christmas the girls had spent together, but it was the first one in their new home where they were both officially New York citizens. It was the first Christmas for "The Tubbington" though, the thriving coffee shop they ran. In fact, The Tubbington was such a success that after NYADA, Rachel was able to actually try and pursue her career in musical theatre, which wasn't an opportunity a lot of postgraduates could actually afford. She hadn't struck her break out role just yet, but she was enjoying the baby-steps in getting there.

"Just coming" The blonde called back as she gracefully met Rachel's side.  
Quinn stood still and stared at the sight before her, taking in completely what New York had to offer. It was snowing – it was a white Christmas in New York with her girlfriend, or since September, her fiancé. She liked that word just as much as she liked the diamond bands on their index fingers. Quinn's mouth parted slightly as she continued to look around.  
"I could've sworn there was hardly an inch when we went in. It's so beautiful…" She added in disbelief at the carpet of snow that layered the street.

Rachel just chuckled as she watched her New Haven girl admire the city. Q

Quinn had moved in that August, and a month later Rachel proposed. She knew that Quinn had been thinking about it herself (or so Santana informed her), but Rachel wanted to be the one to do it, especially Quinn got the very first "I love you". It wasn't like it was a competition, but when Rachel was determined about something then there's no stopping her.  
It warmed Rachel's heart to see Quinn love New York just as much as she did. The brunette nestled closer to the warmth of Quinn's dark coat as she instinctively linked her arm with hers, an immediate sense of belonging followed. She could still recall the amount of times back in high school when she'd see someone else hold her hand - just as she could still feel the insane amount of jealousy and longing that followed each lustful glare she shared with the blonde. It was all games back in high school, that was until they confessed they were playing for the same team. They became a team. And now it was them against the world.

The snow began to fall with more force and the chill snuck into Rachel's bones. She yanked Quinn as she made her way to their car. That's what she called it now, just as it was _their_ bed. The same did not apply to cups of coffee and bras.

"Come on, get in!" Rachel squeaked as she ran for cover into the vehicle, exhaling once inside and protected. Quickly she buckled her seatbelt and tried to find the blonde, which under the sheet of white that lay on top of the car was almost impossible. She heard a rubbing noise and was met with a pair of black gloved hands wiping away the snow from the wind shield. Bit by bit, more of Quinn was revealed with each stroke. Rachel silently waved at her as she could finally see her face. Quinn's nose scrunched back in return.  
"It's good, it's good – come on!" Rachel called, loud enough for Quinn to hear. The blonde rolled her eyes as she gave up on her task and rushed her way to the other door, Rachel stretched over to open it for her as best as she could. Quinn scuttled in and slammed the car shut, not letting the slight warmth from the car escape.

"Warm my fingers, warm my fingers!" Quinn protested from the cold, her porcelain nose now showing a gleam of raspberry red. Rachel chuckled to herself as she rubbed her own hands together to generate heat before enclosing Quinn's in them – jumping at the touch of her frozen skin.

"I think you have hypothermia." Rachel said in her most serious tone possible as she kept Quinn's hands as warm as she could.

"Wear red to my funeral?" Quinn joked, poking up an eyebrow. Rachel just rolled her eyes and shoved the blonde before buckling her seatbelt and starting the ignition. Quinn fastened her own.

As Rachel pulled out and made their way home to their studio she fiddled with the radio, that was until she found the perfect station. Some number from "Annie The Musical" began to play and within a second Rachel knew exactly what line they were on – and swiftly began to join in. Quinn's eyebrows furrowed in judgement as she watched, leaning back into the warmth of her seat. Some musicals were okay for Quinn, or more accurately - most. She loved plenty of them and the majority she could stand, however, Annie was not one of them. It was probably since her older sister Frannie got the lead role of their middle school production of it. Quinn's parents wouldn't shut up about it, and it was used as a constant reminder and tool against the younger Fabray. Apparently it was just 'healthy competition' and 'character building', but that ringleted red hair wig still sent a shiver down Quinn's spine.

"You do not like this song…" Quinn complained, her eyebrows still crossed in dissaprovement. "Please tell me you don't like this song."

Rachel just continued to sing, even more enthusiastically and adding some of her famous exaggerated singing expressions - ones she knew were Quinn's favorite. As she continued belting out the high notes, it wasn't long before Quinn broke, a smile shattering onto her lips as the laughter escaped. Rachel just increased the volume, all for that laugh. She would do anything in the world to hear that laugh.

"You have to turn it off!" Quinn called over the song but Rachel's performance was impossible to resist, a cackle roared over Quinn as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Oh god - I'm getting married to a doofus, please stop."

"What did you call me?" Rachel teased, pretending to be insulted as Quinn just laughed louder. Rachel's own hand stayed firmly on the wheel as the other tucked into Quinn's coat, finding a place Rachel knew all to well – the place that made the blonde squirm. The tickles rampaged Quinn as she curdled away from Rachel's touch, a beaming grin matched on both their lips.

Rachel slowed down as they hit a red light, even though there wasn't a car in sight. She could still make out the stop sign through the heavy snow that continued to fall. She considered herself a fairly law abiding citizen, with a few exceptions here and there.

Quinn was still smiling as she turned a little to face Rachel as much as she could with her seatbelt on.

"So I have this theory." Quinn began, licking her lips before she spoke - she'd only just managed to recover from the laughter that had filled her lungs seconds ago. Rachel's eyes briefly fluttered towards her as she 'mhm'd' in response for Quinn to continue. "Well you know girls are guaranteed to get pregnant in a car, so I mean maybe it wont be an exception for us." She murmured with a smirk, her eyebrows arching convincingly as she implied exactly what she wanted to do. Rachel's expression fell slightly with anticipation. Quinn's deliciously red nails gripped her seatbelt as she unbuckled it. She leaned over the seat as she caught Rachel's lips in her own, pulling her closer.

A pair of headlights glowed behind them.

It all happened in a blink, but that's what everyone says. That's the theory about impacts.

So when that loading truck hit the small car, perhaps the girls were still kissing. When that small car smashed into the electricity pole with an abrupt force, maybe Quinn was still thinking about Rachel's lips. But when she shattered through the cracked windscreen, head first, and collided into the rummage in front of her there was no doubt that Quinn was thinking about anything.

Feeling anything.

But as the sirens roared, that was neither a guarantee nor a comfort to Rachel's blistered eyes – that through the blood trickling down her own forehead, could still make out her girlfriend's limp body. Not her girlfriends, her fiancé.


	2. Vanilla cake

Rachel's eyes flashed open, only to be met with the harsh bright light held in a doctors hand. Her dark lashes blinked manically as she hastily regained consciousness, instantly feeling the restrictions all over her body.  
Her arms - tied by her side as to keep her back down. Her head - fastened into some sort of a harness that sent shooting pains down her spine. All around her the room blurred and glowed, a white noise of people talking and machines working. Were they working to keep her alive? Was she alive? These would be the kind of questions Rachel would have been thinking of, but instead she only thought of one. Quinn. The name escaped her lips just as the thought hit. She repeated it louder, more frantically – it was as if everyone was ignoring her. Why was no one telling her about Quinn? Where was Quinn? What had happened to Quinn?

"Ma'am, please stay still. You've been in an accident, you're safe now." A nurse informed her, just as she had probably told a million other patients too. Rachel didn't want to think about how many of those had made it out.  
"Quinn, blonde" Rachel managed, but it felt like her throat was working against her, her lungs tightening up and giving out all at once. The familiar and friendly darkness began to cloud her vision, tempting her into a blissful unconsciousness. An unconsciousness where the crash didn't happen, where everything was fine. It was too sweet to resist, too painful to hold on. Rachel gave in, her nose recognizing Quinn's perfume as she slipped back into the darkness. Numbness drowned her body, silence washed over her ears.

* * *

**The first meeting**

"Okay, she just texted and she's going to be here in any second."

Santana's dress hugged her hips as she swerved her way around Rachel's bedroom. It was still new to Rachel, being friends with _Santana_ Lopez. After all, she was head of the cheerios. But she was also part of glee club, and after three years it seemed as if they'd finally managed to be friends – and share common ground too. Santana's gaydar went ringing from the moment she met Rachel, so when Rachel had come out to her in Junior year, Santana was hardly surprised – but definitely supportive. So was her girlfriend, Brittany.  
It was Senior prom and the three girls had decided to go together, since Rachel was dateless – though as she liked to put it, all talented women are at some point or another. However, the brunette couldn't help but feel she was slightly third wheeling – that's when Santana decided to invite Quinn.

Quinn was a childhood friend of Santana's and lived further down south. The two had met a cheer-camp and had stayed friends since. Rachel didn't know anything else, except that she'd recently dropped cheerleading, was apparently straight and also breathtakingly beautiful. The latter wasn't exactly a great combination for Rachel, but Santana was pretty insistent on the two of them meeting. And maybe the gorgeous part got Rachel to finally agree.

Moments of impact happen in all kinds of ways, and Quinn Fabray walking into Rachel's life was perhaps the biggest one she'd ever experienced. So far.

"Are you sure she's okay with it? She wont know anyone…" Rachel mumbled, worrying to herself as she tugged a hairbrush through her locks. She'd settled with a pastel pink dress that verged on nude – it was simple, but pretty – or so her dad's had insisted. Santana pulled down the neckline an inch and then agreed.

"She's not shy." Brittany called from the other side of the room as she patted on what seemed to be glitter onto her eyelashes.  
"Oh…she's not?" Rachel prompted, fiddling with her mascara but desperately wanting to know more.  
"Yeah, she's all kinds of fierce."

"Oh really?" A new, low and silky voice graced. Rachel looked up into the mirror, only to see another figure in it besides herself. Her mascara slipped through her hands and landed onto the desk with a clash.

Quinn Fabray was a vision.

Her sharp hazel eyes gleamed with a tint of emerald, not quite brown and not quite green –a color that tempted you to stare into them for eternity. Looking at her was like stepping back to a different era, an ethereal and elegant glamour shone in an aura around her. A Grace Kelly with light porcelain skin that glimmered with a pearl sheen. Her ash blonde hair was gathered in a slight bun, accenting two aqua marine jewels that hung off her ears. They were the same color as her chiffon baby blue dress, enchanted with sheer detailing.

Those very eyes were arched with perfectly quizzical brows, which with a half smile of those cupid's lips indicated she was still waiting for a reply.

The whole room was waiting. Rachel remained struck and frozen. As her chocolate eyes found herself in the mirror she realized her mouth was hanging open. Instantly her cheeks flushed a deep rose as her pitch black lashes darted down onto her lap in attempt to recover.

"You must be Quinn" Rachel blurted out, still looking into her lap.  
"You would be right. Also something else to you, tonight." The girl added with a tilt of her head, her eyes tempting Rachel into looking at them.  
"What?" Rachel asked, only realizing how rude it sounded after the word had left her lips.  
"Your date." The blonde assured, her lips tugging into a smile.

* * *

**The first goodbye**

"I had fun tonight, Rachel. Thank you." Quinn said smoothly, standing by her car in the darkness. Her eyes didn't leave Rachel once, as if she wanted to take as much of the girl in before she said goodbye.  
"Quinn, I-"  
"I leave for Yale this September. Early entry." The blonde explained, pressing her lips together as she nodded and looking down.  
"You didn't know what I was going to say."  
"I just presumed that.." she halted, rephrasing her sentence with a sense of control. "I had a good time tonight so I thought you'd were thinking the same thing I was." The blonde finished, a sort of practiced smile accompanying her distant eyes.  
"And what's that…" Rachel's eyebrows furrowed anxiously. Quinn took in a deep breath, the kind that made her collar bones raise in the best of ways. Rachel held onto that breath with every hope. She knew there wasn't much of it, not only was Quinn straight but she was beautiful. Her thoughts were interrupted by Quinn's voice, the best kind of interruption there was.  
"That I want to see you again, maybe we could be friends." she shrugged, but her nonchalance was unconvincing. The edge in her voice showed Rachel that it wasn't an easy sentence to say for her. Rachel desperately wanted to know why. She had plenty of questions, but she couldn't ask them all at once. She couldn't even think of them all at once. Quinn was a book of unanswered questions that Rachel wanted to read over and over again.  
"I do too." Rachel finally agreed, swallowing hard. She felt her heart drum against her rib cage as a pang of courage busted through her veins. "That's why I'm happy."  
"Happy?"  
"Happy because it's June."  
"June…" Quinn repeated with a smile, almost quizzically. There was a lot more honesty to this one.  
"Which gives us four months. I don't know about you but coffee doesn't take that long for me to drink" Rachel said with a smile, her own eyebrows rising.  
"Right" She agreed, smile growing though her eyebrows still showing a glimpse of confusion. "So…coffee?"  
"Well since you're offering, sure." Rachel shuffled with a smirk; Quinn shook her head but remained smiling.

Just before she turned to open the car door she came close to Rachel, so close that the girl could almost feel the softness of her breath on her neck. Quinn whispered into her ear the place where she worked, which lucky for Rachel, was a coffee shop. It was a half an hour drive from where she lived, but it would be worth it. Quinn pulled away and got into the car, instantly Rachel missed her proximity.

As the girl pulled out of the school parking lot, Rachel began to make her way towards the school until she heard a voice call her name behind her. The window of Quinn's car was pulled down and in the dim moonlight she could make out her date leaning out of it.

"You better not bail on me" Quinn called casually, a half smile glinting through the night – still, there was a mixture of threat and nervousness intermingled in her voice. Rachel didn't have time to answer, the girl was already off - but she knew she wouldn't bail on her, she knew that as soon as Saturday came around she would be in a car and on her way to see her. She also knew something else in that moment, perhaps not consciously, but she still knew it – or more so, felt it. She knew that that was the girl she would marry. She knew that she would never bail on Quinn Fabray in her entire life.

* * *

**The first bite **

A week later Rachel ran out of the car as the rain poured down onto her. Her hair was soaking wet and any ghostly presence of the curls she'd put in was completely destroyed. The same applied to the makeup she'd been putting on prior two hours before the drive. It was all ruined. But the worst part was that she was late. Two hours late. The traffic was terrible and Rachel nearly had a panic attack behind the wheel as time cut her no slack. She couldn't bare the thought of Quinn leaving, nearly as much as she couldn't even fathom the idea of Quinn thinking Rachel had bailed on her.

She panted as she ran to the door, her shirt clinging to her damp skin. Through the darkness she could still see the coffee shop emitting a warm glow, but there wasn't anyone inside. She landed outside the door still panting as she scanned through the windows, only to confirm that it was in fact empty.

"No, no, no, no…" Rachel muttered to herself as her doe eyes stared and searched, until they halted. Her body halted. Her entire world halted. The air was sucked straight out of her lungs as she saw her, well it. A blonde bunch of a bun poking up behind the bar. A grin broke out onto Rachel's face as she leaped forward and patted the glass as she knocked to get Quinn's attention.

Hearing the noise, the bun revealed itself to belong to a different girl than that night – but still the same one, simply a different version (the version that became Rachel's favorite). Dressed in plain black clothes with a green apron over them, Quinn gleamed with a natural honey color as she wore less make-up than that night. Her hair fell effortlessly in a disgruntled kind of way and her lips tugged into a smile as she saw Rachel and quickly made her way to open the door.

"Quick, get in!" Quinn hustled as she pulled Rachel into the warmth. "You're drenched" she sighed, not even mentioning the time.  
"It's okay, I'm okay" Rachel nodded reassuringly, but Quinn just frowned before raising an eyebrow. She wasn't having any of it.  
"Wait here." She instructed before disappearing to a room behind the bar. Rachel took a few steps further into the shop and looked around wide-eyed, catching every detail of the cozy cafe.

"I'm sorry that I'm late." Rachel called loud enough for Quinn to hear. There was ruffling in the back as Rachel came to the till and looked through the glass at the cakes on display.

"Honestly, don't worry about it." A voice croaked in the distance, but Rachel's forehead still creased in guilt.

"But look, you had to stay after it closed and everything" She silently sighed to herself, just in time for Quinn to rush back in holding something grey. Slightly out of breath, the blonde huffed a misplaced strand of hair away from her forehead before shaking her head in reply to Rachel.

"We closed at three today"  
"But you said to come at six?"  
"I know. It's better without everyone else…don't you think?" the blonde quizzed, handing Rachel a fleece with the coffee shops logo on it. "It's not exactly flattering, but its dry. Also, you'd look good in anything so." She added in a matter-of-fact manner. Rachel felt herself blush.

And then it hit her. She had to change. Rachel stayed frozen holding the jumper, wondering if she should go the back room Quinn had just emerged from. Quinn stared at the girl before catching on to the situation.  
"Oh." She started, eyes widening before an idea came to her. "Here, I'll turn around." Quinn added, and Rachel did the same.  
Rachel peeled off her old shirt and slipped into the jumper as Quinn rattled away with something. With some difficulty, Rachel finally managed to get into the ensemble and fold her own clothes. Before she turned around she heard Quinn's voice.

"Close your eyes." Quinn tempted, before adding in a more instructive tone "open your mouth."

Rachel's mind went to places it shouldn't. Her face filled with the familiar heat it usually did before she blushed. Hesitating for a moment, she took a leap of faith as her heart drilled against her chest. Slowly, she turned around with her eyes squeezed shut and her lips gently parted.

They weren't met with Quinn's lips, but the second best thing. Chocolate.

Surprised at first, Rachel's eyes jolted open until she decided to chew. And there was Quinn, with a fork in hand waiting for her reaction.

"Good?" She asked, behind her Rachel could see the cakes that had previously been on display. "Perks of working here, we get to take all the cakes home that weren't bought. So, do you like it?"  
Rachel swallowed before letting out a moan of delight, followed by a stark expression of embarrassment – but to her surprise, Quinn grinned. The girl yanked Rachel's hand and pulled her down towards the table of two that the cakes were laid out onto.

"Okay, okay – try this one." She almost purred, slicing off another bite for Rachel. This one had a creamy texture and nearly fell off of Quinn's fork. As Quinn brought if closer to the girls face it collided with her nose, leaving a whip on the edge of it. Quinn's hand quickly came up to her own mouth as her expression winced in anguish. "I'm so sorry-" the girl began but she couldn't finish her sentence, Rachel had already picked her own fork as a weapon and graced Quinn's own nose with a brown dollop. A smile of vengeance presented itself on Rachel Berry's lips. It wasn't long before that smile was replaced with Quinn's own lips.

A lick, a flick, a bite - a kiss. Mixed with sweet vanilla and crushed raspberries, two lips overlapped in a gentle caress. Rachel Berry, the bosy glee club member with a love for ladies and the spotlight had kissed the elusive Quinn Fabray. Or more so, Quinn had kissed her. Rachel could hardly fathom the idea of the blonde liking her, but she'd kissed her. _She'd _kissed _her._

Before the girls knew it, two hours had flown past. Two hours filled with conversations of secrets, facts and simply the human act of getting to know each other. Rachel told Quinn about her two dad's and her singing, Quinn let Rachel know about her sickly strict and conservative family (that would kill her if they ever found out about any of that),and her knack for theatre. Rachel confessed that she'd always liked girls but had only realized it in high school, Quinn came to the conclusion that she'd never liked a girl – not before Rachel that was. She changed the conversation at that point, halting at the words that gave away too much. Rachel didn't mind though, since being sat opposite Quinn with cake was too perfect to find a fault in. But eventually, like all good things, it was time to part. Until next weekend of course, since the next date had swiftly been arranged just as their lips had parted.

"You sure you're okay driving home?" Quinn softly asked, clinging to the door as she stood inside the coffee shop – Rachel already outside.  
"Yeah, I promised my dad's I'd be home." She explained regrettably, her eyes still holding Quinn's own gaze. "Are _you _sure I can keep this jumper."  
"Yes. Better not lose it though." Quinn playfully threatened. Something about her was different now, a little more guarded compared to the girl minutes before.  
"I'm forever in your debt."  
"I'll remember that." Quinn's eyebrow darted up in temptation.  
"Thanks for the cake." Rachel smiled up at the blonde; a smudge of vanilla tart still lingered on her lip. She wanted nothing more than to take it off, but something in the kiss made Rachel knew that this was all new to Quinn. And in some way, it was new to Rachel too. It just didn't feel new with Quinn. It felt like she'd known her her entire life, but at the same time every moment was a thrilling live-wire.  
"Thanks for driving over." Quinn said in that same aura of mystery she always carried. If it wasn't for the looks, and of course the kiss, Rachel could imagine being worried that Quinn didn't like her. And painfully, it was part of the allure that pulled Rachel to her like a magnet. Was Quinn really thanking her for taking the time to drive? Or was she thanking Rachel for not bailing on her in her own way.  
'Goodnight, Q." Rachel hushed with a lingering smile that seemed to never leave in Quinn's presence. The door chimes rustled as Quinn shut the door and Rachel got into the car. With the taste of Quinn and vanilla on her lips, she drove home and waited for the next time she'd see her favorite pair of eyes.

* * *

Rachel woke up sharply to find herself in a pair of blue scrubs that painfully mimicked the dress that Quinn wore to prom. She lay there in silence as a different type of dullness engulfed her.

She awoke again, this time a doctor was speaking to her – they were both sitting somewhere, somewhere different. A café? The hospital café.. It was only when Rachel heard the word 'Quinn' that she began to fully listen.

"I'm sorry…could you repeat that?" Rachel stuttered, looking at the other women.  
"Of course. As you know, your fiancé's CT scan showed signs of brain hemorrhaging." Words. Just words. Words that weren't meant to follow the words _Your Fiancé_.  
"We purposely keep patients with these sort of injuries in a comatose state to reduce swelling and further injury." Rachel looked down at her clothes, her own clothes. When had she changed? How long had it been since the crash? She noticed the doctor looking at her with a worried expression, so Rachel nodded in attempt to convince her she was fine and for her continue. All that mattered was Quinn.  
"As I was saying, to allow the brain to heal itself as the swelling subsides. And then we slowly wean them off it." Two days, it had to be two days. One day spent in hospital, observation – that's what they did in Greys Anatomy right? Then the next day, which was today, that's when she must've been released. Her dads must have bought her clothes…an image of Quinn's brain swelling swung Rachel back into an unpleasant state of concentration.

"Any questions?" The women in the white coat asked, and Rachel did have one. It had been on the tip of her tongue the moment she was awake. It was the only question she could focus on, it was the only thing she needed right now.

"Can I see her?"

A blue curtain separated them. A blue curtain of thin fabric was all that was between Rachel and Quinn. But it wouldn't be Quinn, it would be the remains of Quinn after the accident that Rachel was to blame for. After she saw her, there was no going back. There was no forgiving herself. There was no thought that would contain anything but this shattered Quinn. She yanked the curtain aside like a band-aid.

Maybe she thought she would look different, maybe almost unrecognizable. Perhaps that would've been easier, because what lay in the bed was too painstakingly familiar. She lay there looking like she could get up any second, as if she could just lean over and plant a soft morning kiss on the side of Rachel's head. There lay the same lips that shouted at her in their arguments, the same pair of lashes that shut reality from her imagination, the same chest that raised up and down, comforting Rachel that she was still here with her. Everything was the same, apart from the wound.

Like a slash of red paint against a blank canvas, the injury was brutal and out of place. Stitched with a thread that in comparison to the perfection of Quinn's body looked harshly out of place. Purple's and red stood out against her honey skin, just like the tube that ran straight into her throat. It was then that Rachel began to notice the differences. The wires that plunged into her love's skin, the gauntness of her cheeks that had once beamed peach only a day ago. Or two days ago. It didn't matter now.

Rachel came to her side with a hallow emptiness, unable to tear herself away from her greatest mistake. She did this to Quinn, or so she felt with every ounce of her being. Quinn was not there, she was somewhere far away. The rising and dropping of her chest was a lie.

Slowly, Rachel took her frail hand in hers and reached into her own pocket – extracting the silver band with a delicate diamond glistening in the middle of it. They took it off for the scans. She slipped it back onto the correct finger and stood to leave, not before she pressed her lips delicately to the blonde's forehead.

"I won't bail on you, Q." Rachel whispered, eyes squeezed shut. She waited for a moment for her to say something back – something witty, sarcastic, anything. But only silence remained. Only silence and the lie of her still beating heart.


End file.
